A study examined the vocational and adult education system in isolated rural areas. The study included a review of literature, legislation, and exemplary programs, and conducted interviews with community leaders in twenty isolated, rural counties. Unstructured telephone interviews with representatives of the business, civic, and education sectors,…

Since 1930, changes in definitions of "rural" population trends, teacher preparation, educational philosophy, school organization, and curriculum and federal funding have influenced the educational opportunities provided by rural schools. Dedicated leaders in groups such as the National Education Association's Department of Rural Education, the…

Presented are condensed versions of background papers for the National Conference on Problems of Rural Youth in a Changing Environment held in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on September 22-25, 1963. Twenty-seven papers are grouped under the following divisions: (1) rural community backgrounds; (2) rural education; (3) physical and mental health of rural…

This document reports on a conference, concerning rural blacks in four Southern states, that has as its theme the definition of the problem and research priorities relating to the development of a sense of community. A section on formal presentations includes topics such as democracy, economic progress, and research in the southern region, the…

The report showed ways of providing rural youths with quality schooling while keeping costs down. An Oklahoma survey of student needs measured quality differences between rural and urban areas. Students from farms, ranches, and small towns consistently ranked below students in middle and large cities on achievement tests in each grade level…

Most educational movements have been in the direction of national standards, have been urban oriented, and often have failed to recognize or acknowledge the uniqueness of rural education. Consequently, rural education has become little more than a second thought as teachers' skills are developed. This paper examines the contribution colleges of…

This report focuses on the status of rural education and is intended to provide information to education researchers, policymakers at the federal and state levels, as well as others concerned about issues in rural education. Specifically, the goal is to increase federal policymakers' attention to rural education problems, promote improvements in…

A total of 3,732 recipients of Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) allowances during 1979 and 1980 received questionnaires and parents of 313 families were interviewed to determine who benefitted from the AIC Scheme, what use was made of the AIC allowance, what effect did the AIC Scheme appear to have had, and what anomalies existed in relation…

Rural schools have had a traditional role as major vehicles of rural economic development. During the rapid economic changes of the 20th century rural schools supplied the literate migrants who flocked to the cities to become the human capital for urban based expansion. Rural schools also provided the literate farmers who stayed at home and…

Educational, medical, and other services in rural areas have been undergoing a consolidation and centralization process to bring about more efficient operation. A research project sponsored by the United Methodist Church was designed to assess the position of the church as a decentralized unit in a small community relative to its leadership…

The imbalances between the higher education participation of rural and urban Australians are significant and persistent. This study examined the attitudes, goals, and plans of Australian senior high school students via a survey of over 7,000 students in grades 10-12 in three states, complemented by interviews with about 350 students in 20 rural…

This document contains four reports detailing a four-phase research project on Alaska Natives' attitudes and values toward education. A literature review examines the history of Native education in Alaska, issues in research on American Indian and Alaska Native education, dropout studies, student assessment, language and culture, learning styles,…

Developed as a text for studying rural education in Canada, this book focuses on the importance of listening to the voices of all stakeholders in education, formulating a shared vision for schooling, and providing leadership that will revitalize schools in sparsely populated areas. Section 1 presents strategic planning as the most promising…

This report addresses issues related to the responsibility of public schools to prepare rural youth for life choices about careers, postsecondary education, and place of residence. A synthesis of current research literature, as well as the perceptions of rural educators and policymakers in the Northwest, explore some potential resolutions to the…

This report summarizes a study conducted during 1993-94 evaluating rural secondary education in Alaska. The six components of the study included: (1) a survey of boarding school graduates concerning how well their educational experience prepared them for college, trade school, and employment; (2) a telephone survey of 800 rural households…